STAN Ternent today responded to the growing speculation that he could be the next manager of Burnley.

The successful Bury boss is widely reported to be top of Turf Moor's wanted list to take over from Chris Waddle.

But Ternent today revealed he will not walk out on Bury if Burnley come in with a lucrative offer.

Super Stan has earned a place in Gigg Lane folklore after taking the club from 22nd in the Third Division to a club capable of surviving in the First Division in less than three years.

Bury owner Hugh Eaves recently hailed Ternent "the best manager in the history of Bury Football Club" and with his recent track record he was inevitably going to be linked with other jobs.

But, although he lives in Burnley, used to play for them and would earn far more there than he does at Bury, the Second Division club will face a tough fight to prise him away from Gigg Lane.

Ternent does not have a contract at Bury - unlike other Turf Moor targets like Brian Flynn and Adrian Heath. But he has an agreement with his board which he is prepared to honour.

"If Burnley do make an approach and my chairman turns round and says I am not going then that's that, I don't go," he explained.

"But at the moment I have no idea if Burnley want to speak to me. This talk is all based upon speculation and nothing more.

"I have always enjoyed it at Bury and I still am.

"The whole thing depends on three things. One, whether Burnley are interested in me; two, whether Bury would want me to stay or not; and three, whether I would want to go and that would depend on the ambition of the clubs."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.